All Saints Church

The All Saints Church hosted a pop-up food court dinner on Saturday, featuring international dishes for a cultural affair.

Madeline Kujabi stirred a curry-like concoction of chicken, peanut butter and tomato in a tall, slender metal pot. The dish, called domoda, emitted a heavy aroma, providing an olfactory nostalgia of the home Kujabi left four years ago: The Gambia.

Kujabi came to Syracuse to continue her schooling as an international student. Now a senior at Bishop Grimes High School, Kujabi enjoys sharing her Gambian heritage through eating.

A Congolese refugee fled his home country to escape a violent civil war. Papy Amani is now an unofficial leader at All Saints Church for the refugee community.

In the front pew of All Saints Church, Papy Amani stands with his Bible in hand. Sunday mornings here are filled with the sounds of Congolese men and women dressed in colorful garb, raising their voices in joyful praise.

"Hosannaaa, Hosanna eyyyyy Hosannaaa, Hosanna eyyyyy."

Such joy was hard to find where Amani came from, he said. Papy (pronounced pah-pay) Amani is the unofficial leader of the rapidly growing Congolese refugee community in Syracuse.

“The way I used to live was miserable,” he said. “There was no hope. Not even food to eat. No peace.”